


Finding Home

by GalaxyRise489



Series: Exploring ‘Verse [2]
Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: M/M, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-08
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-04-12 15:08:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 8,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19134559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GalaxyRise489/pseuds/GalaxyRise489
Summary: Set 7 Years after the book, in the same world as “Worth Exploring” aka the Exploring ‘Verse.Some big changes are in store for Crowley, Aziraphale, and Gabriel as they attempt to find their homes.





	1. Falling Down

Aziraphale had been trying to pull himself to his feet for what felt like hours. Every bone, every muscle, every tendon in his body felt broken, torn and weak. He couldn’t open his eyes, and couldn’t move. The floor underneath him was a cold stone. 

“I’m actually rather impressed.” The voice was cold and smooth “Word is your and Crawly’s rebellion is being viewed more harshly than mine.” 

Aziraphale tried to respond, tried to move, tried to see where he was. What did he mean, his and Crowley’s rebellion? It had been over 7 years since they thwarted the Apocalypse, and they had mostly been keeping to themselves since then. The voice said Crawly, not Crowley, he realized in a panic. Was he in Hell? Where was Crowley?

“Heaven has cast you out, Aziraphale. And I have cast Crawly out, or rather he has rejected us and chosen to cast himself out preemptively. The decision is yours to make as to what happens to you. If you chose to stay here, you will be assigned duties, and remain indefinitely. If you choose to return to Earth, well, no one is entirely sure. Michael and I are both unable to determine exactly where that would land any of you.”

Cast out, he thought worriedly. Why now? He couldn’t imagine what actions had led to this. And Crowley was cast out of Hell? For what? He knew this partner was walking a thin line between goodness and evil, but what would happen to a fallen angel who was similarly cast out of Hell? And what did, he presumed Lucifer- given that he was talking about himself and Michael, mean by any of them? Were more of them to fall? The earthly Archangels, Jophiel? 

“Where Cr...ly” he finally managed to force words out, the three syllables exhausted him. 

“I do not know. Perhaps he is having the same conversation with Michael that we are having. Though that seems unlikely. Perhaps he has returned to Earth. I cannot say what I do not know. He is no longer one of ours.” 

Aziraphale considered this. If Crowley fell and then rejected Hell, where did he end up? Would any fallen angel, he cringed thinking of himself as fallen, who rejected Hell end up in the same place? If there was even a chance of Crowley being there, it was a risk he was willing to take. “Back… Earth” he choked out, praying to whichever one of them would listen that he made the right choice. 

He felt weightless for a moment and then collapsed once again onto a floor. 

“Angel, your wings, what happened?” was the only thing he heard before losing consciousness completely. 

When he came back to, Aziraphale did not know what day it was, he did not know where he was, all he knew was that there was a weight across his chest. He opened his eyes and Crowley’s familiar red waves filled his field of vision. He wrapped his arms tightly around his partner. “Thank God you’re still here, my dear boy” he said, his words a breath on Crowley’s shoulder. 

“Where else would I be, Angel? I’m fallen, and I rejected Hell. There’s nowhere else to go now. I’m bound here on Earth I guess.” Crowley twisted his body so he could see Aziraphale’s face. “And I am guessing you are too.” 

“You said something about my wings before. What happened to my wings?” 

“Look for yourself, mine did it too.” Crowley unfurled his wings, and instead of the iridescent black and navy blue he had always known, Crowley's wings now transitioned from charcoal gray near the base, where they joined his back, to cream at the tips. 

Aziraphale brought his own wings around to the front so he could look at them. The were lighter in color than Crowley's but were a single shade of bluish gray. “I suppose this is less jarring than if they went black.” He mused reaching out to touch the feathers. “It doesn't seem real. I'm just glad the pain is over.” 

“I was waiting for you to wake up, so I haven't, er, tested anything yet” he waved his hand to simulate magicking something. It occured to Crowley if they were not affiliated with either Heaven or Hell that their powers might be gone. “I'm not sure I want to check.” 

Aziraphale started with something simple, he summoned Crowley’s shirt from across the room. “Clearly that worked.” 

Crowley summoned freshly brewed coffee and mugs. Not mugs they owned, but mugs he fashioned in his mind. 

“Uh, let there be light?” Aziraphale asked hesitantly. A blue light filled the room. “Well, my dear, I believe everything is still there.”

“That’s good” Crowley said nuzzling into Aziraphale’s chest. It did not matter if they were Angel and Demon, two fallen angels, or whatever they were now, fallen from both sides and trapped in the middle, they would face it together. As he drifted off to sleep, Crowley made a mental note to call Gabriel in the morning.


	2. Michael and Lucifer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael pays Lucifer a trip

The Archangel looked around the dreary office, he hated the feeling he got when he visited Hell. He enjoyed Lucifer, but not the office, or the surroundings. 

“I refuse to believe there is nothing we can do to correct this situation. It is a dangerous precedent to set, allowing them to exist unaffiliated. If anyone finds out about it, both your side and mine will lose countless numbers. The impact will be bigger than your rebellion without question.” 

Lucifer sat behind his desk, feet propped up, eyeing his former (or not so former depending on their attitudes) lover cautiously. “And what do you expect me to do Michael? Crawly has shown numerous times since the failed apocalypse that he will defy our wishes if it is in the best interest of Earth, or of himself and Aziraphale. I did the only thing I could by casting him out. It was not my expectation that he would manage to land back on Earth, and that Aziraphale would do the same when given the choice.” 

“You thought what would happen, Lucifer? That they would float off into the ether and perish? I didn’t know you were giving Aziraphale the choice once he fell. Do you always?” 

“Do I always what? Give them the choice? No. Indeed never, but he had not accepted Hell. He did not fall because he wanted to be in my ranks, he fell because he wanted to be with Crawly on Earth. He would not have been productive here. I am not sure that Gabriel will be either. Raphael, Jophiel and my two field agents are yet to be seen. They have the same problem as your agents however, they have formed attachments. 

Michael moved behind the desk and draped his arms across Lucifer’s shoulders from behind his chair. “Attachment isn’t a bad thing, Luce. And neither is working together.” 

Lucifer turned his head and captured Michael in a harsh kiss “I never said working together was a bad thing. In fact I think that may be the only way to keep Aziraphale and Crawly from growing their ranks. We cannot allow them to become more powerful.”


	3. The Coffee Shop

In a black wool coat that reached below his knees, a light blue button up shirt, and clean dark wash jeans, Gabriel felt entirely too put together for the dark, smoky coffee shop that Jophiel had recommended they meet in. He should have known the two of them would be late, Raphael was never on time for anything, and while Jophiel had been a very conscientious angel at the beginning, either her assignment, or more likely her boyfriend had eliminated her sensibilities. 

Gabriel considered that he was not one to talk about eliminated sensibilities. Seven years ago he had given Earth a try, formed himself a life in Boston, and never returned to Heaven. He was in regular communication with Raphael, and the other Archangel had visited him in Boston a handful of times, and Gabriel made visits to England at least once a year to see Aziraphale and Crowley, but this was only the second time he had been to Aurora for a visit. 

He was pulled out of his thoughts by a clap on the back. 

Jophiel had grown her hair below her shoulders, shaved a side, and died it a shocking teal. “Hey Gabriel, could you look any more stuffy if you tried?” She laughed and took a seat beside him. “I know you own t-shirts, I’ve see you wear them. Raphael’s in line, coffee here takes forever. But it’s totally worth it.” She glanced to the line, where Raphael stood about 5 people back. “So before he gets here, is this an official meeting, coffee between friends, a message from the Host?” 

“Yes, yes, and not exactly” Gabriel replied. “I spoke to Michael this morning. He spoke to Lucifer recently, and there are some issues that have arisen. Pretty serious ones at that. And we, you, me, Raphael, Aziraphale, Crowley, and anyone else that down there has up here are at the center of it.”

 

“Gives me the creeps that he still talks to fucking Satan like that. And then to judge any of us. Damn hypocrite. Glad you aren’t like that anymore.” 

Raphael slid into the seat opposite Gabriel, “Glad he isn’t an arch-douche anymore, you mean? And yes Michael is the worst kind of hypocrite. Coffee will be here in about 5 minutes. I didn’t think they would be so busy in the middle of the day” 

Jophiel swatted his arm, “That’s your term, but yeah, I guess. He has important information from the sole arch-douche though.” 

 

“I should be offended that Michael never contacts me about stuff, last several messages from Heaven have all come through him to you. I’m not but I should be.” 

“He contacted you when I was in England 2 summers ago.”

Jophiel laughed “You moved in with Crowley and Aziraphale for two months, and at least according to Michael, you were sleeping with both of them. I am not shocked that he didn’t want to contact you directly.” 

“They were very gracious hosts,” Gabriel smirked “and the two of you have zero room to talk about sleeping with people. At least I don’t bring humans into my bed. Yes, I know about that too. I think Michael might just enjoy gossiping come to think of it.” 

The coffee arrived, Raphael ordered three “infused lattes”, which contained a moderate amount of THC oil. It was the house specialty. 

“You’re trying to get me high Raphael, really?” Gabriel asked, annoyed. He was not opposed to recreational drug use, but this meeting was not one he wanted to have impaired. “Talk first, coffee later. I already told Jophiel, but I guess Lucifer contacted Michael last week. The two of them have some strange ideas about what is going on here. My understanding is that some or perhaps all of us are getting our status revoked sometime soon.” 

 

Raphael ran a hand through his hair, “So they are finally letting me quit? Why do you look so distressed about that? I thought you wanted to quit too?” 

“I do” Gabriel continued, “but that isn’t the status I am talking about They mean to cast us out. All of us. From both above and below. It already happened to Aziraphale. And to Crowley.” 

Raphael dropped his mug. “How can that happen? Where would we go? Who would we serve?” he paused “Az fell?”

 

“Michael wasn’t really clear. I guess it is something Aziraphale and Crowley started. I’m going to England after we are done here. To try to figure out what is going on.” 

Raphael’s face was blank, he almost seemed like he was looking through Gabriel rather than at him. “I’m not falling. Not getting cast out. I’ll go back up there if I need to. I…” he trailed off and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Can’t” he finished in a sob.


	4. Gabe in England

Crowley threw his phone across the room and then summoned it back. He had tried to reach Gabriel four times in the past hour but the Archangel was either ignoring him or something bad had occurred. Given what happened with Aziraphale, Crowley thought either was a possibility. 

After what felt like an eternity, Crowley's phone rang. “Gabe, finally, I've been trying to reach you all day. Can you please come over here. We really need to talk to you.”

“I'm actually here, well in London, already. I need to speak with the both of you as well. Likely the same conversation.” Gabriel replied “I'll be at your place in 5 minutes, if I don't get run off the road before then. You drive on the wrong side, you know.” 

“You say that every time you come here and it makes you sound extraordinarily American and it is quite annoying. See you when you get here.” 

Crowley waved a hand and his flat tidied itself up. “Angel, your favorite boss is going to be here in five” he called into the bedroom. 

Aziraphale plodded into the room, “that was rather quick. I expected that he would come eventually but it's been less than a day.”

“I wonder how he found out” Crowley asked no one in particular. 

Aziraphale was mortified, he had fallen, rejected Hell, and now his boss (former boss?) was visiting. It was not a good situation, no matter how good of friends he and Gabriel had become in the past 7 years. What would the Archangel think of him? 

“Before you ask, I'm not judging you” Gabriel said answering the unasked question while letting himself into the flat. “I'm more curious how it happened, and how you are still here. Michael didn't specify. Not sure if that's because be was being intentionally vague or because Lucifer didn't give him any information.” 

“He didn't have any further clarification for me when I fell, so I would assume the latter. Lucifer I mean. I haven't spoken to Michael. At least I presume it was Lucifer. Whoever I spoke to, er, down there.” 

“You fell in an even more vague way than I did. I've been thinking about it, I think you fell because you want to be on Earth more than Heaven or Hell. So you fell, rejected it and got trapped here. I rejected hell and ended up here too.” 

Gabriel looked at the two of them dumbfounded. They had chosen to be on Earth many times, as had he, and Raphael and Jophiel. What made this decision different? 

“You could always… join us?” Crowley said after what seemed like an hour of silence. 

“I can't do anything of the sort Crowley. I will stay with you, but I refuse to fall. I might not be the best example of Angelic behavior but I’m certainly not going to commit myself to the Adversary.” 

 

“That’s the beauty of it though, Gabe” Crowley said handing him a glass of wine, “You don’t need to. You just need to commit yourself to Earth. I know you secretly love Earth. All the restaurants, and the beach, and us” he gestured to Aziraphale. 

“You know I love you, and Aziraphale, but I am not sure I want to give up everything I’ve ever known to do whatever it is that you are starting here” 

Aziraphale looked flustered, “We aren’t starting anything, Gabriel, we hardly know what happened ourselves.” 

“Oh, but you are” Gabriel took a sip of his wine “This is good by the way. You remember, Crowley, how it was before The Rebellion. Hushed conversations. Murmurs. Thoughts. It’s not as if Lucifer took up arms and tore down the door. It was a rebellion of the soul.” 

Crowley nodded, he remembered the murmurs and hushed conversations because he was part of them. He remembered Lucifer before the fall because of course the regular lovers of two of the Archangels would know one another. He remembered The Rebellion, and how he chose not to take part. And then he remembered letting his mind and apparently his soul wander just a little too far. “And you think that is what is happening now? That our souls are bound to Earth rather than Heaven or Hell?” 

“I hadn’t considered it that way, but that might be it. Bound to Earth. But still of Angelic Stock. Which could be why you did not become mortals.” 

Crowley choked on his wine “I never thought becoming mortal was an option. That would have been-” 

“Torture” Aziraphale finished.

“Yeah” Gabriel nodded “And I’m not sure I can risk that I might become mortal if I do join you.”

Crowley looked at him, shocked “So you’ve considered it?” 

“From the moment Michael told me what happened. If I could guarantee that I would return here I would do it right now. But without that guarantee, there is too much for me to lose. So I guess not a no, but a not right now. I need to figure some more things out first. Mainly what will happen to me.”

“I got a choice. Don’t know if that means you would as well, but for what it’s worth I did.” Aziraphale said, “I am rather concerned about what bound to Earth might mean though. Are we just bound, or in fact beholden as we were to Heaven?”

“I mean, I wasn’t all that beholden given my status, and if we are being truthful you weren’t either after a few thousand years.” Gabriel laughed again.


	5. Chapter 5

Raphael sat in a stupor on the second story balcony of the house he and Jophiel shared. He had not fully processed what Gabriel had just told them. Sure he wanted to shirk his responsibilities sometimes but he was still a fucking Archangel. He supposed that he had tried to quit being one a few times, but that was more an act of annoyance with the policies of Michael and Gabriel than any real desire to drop his status. 

Aziraphale's fall was only mildly surprising. One can only be living with (married to, if they were being honest) a demon for so long before the Host said enough.

The thing that worried him most was that Gabriel implied that Aziraphale was no more than the first of a large number to fall. And not just fall but be cast out from both realms. 

What would happen to an Angel who fell and then ended up somewhere other than Hell? It sounded like torture. Would he lose his powers? What would happen to those he was sworn to protect? Who would answer all the prayers, not that he did that himself anyways, delegation was a wonderful invention, but what would happen to prayers to the Archangel Raphael if there was no Archangel Raphael? 

He heard the door to the balcony close. “What are we going to do if we get cast out?” he asked before Jophiel said a word. 

“I don’t think it’s something that’s going to just happen without our knowledge.” Jophiel replied as she settled on his lap. “I think we would need to, you know, choose for it to happen. I don’t think that Az just woke up and BOOM he wasn’t an angel anymore. He made choices Raphael. Choices we have probably made ourselves. I guess since he has been here longer, his issue came to light first. Or maybe it is because of your position. But I think we are going to need to be a hell of a lot more deliberate with our actions now.” 

“I don’t want to fall” Raphael said, barely louder than a whisper, “I don’t remember all of the ones who went with Lucifer in The Rebellion, but I know for a fact that Crowley didn’t want to fall. So it’s not like we are just going to be automatically safe because we want to keep being Angels.” 

“It’s our hearts though, dude, if they are still in Heaven, even if we are here, I think we will be ok.”


	6. Chapter 6

“Gabriel is astonishingly close to commiting to Earth” Michael boomed, not even bothering to knock on Lucifer’s office door. 

Two demons jumped in terror. There were rumors throughout the levels of Hell that their overlord had been consorting as of late with up there, but no one had been able to confirm it. 

“Door was closed for a reason, Michael. You two, out.” The two demons bolted from the office, the unspoken directive to not mention what they saw was clearly understood. “I am aware of your ever annoying counterpart’s actions, and if I were able to contact you, you would have been aware a week ago.”

“Well unfortunately for you, Luce, I don’t actually make the rules about who can contact Heaven, so I am stuck coming here to tell you when I find things out. Hate it here. So what do you know about Gabriel?” 

Lucifer walked out from behind his desk, placed his hands on Michael’s shoulders and ushered him into a seat. He took an identical one across from the Archangel. “He is with Crawly and Aziraphale and only has not joined them due to a fear of becoming mortal.” 

“That won’t happen to him, will it?” 

“According to everything I have been able to collect, he would not become mortal. That would take a specific act. One that Gabriel, or any of you, would not be party to.”

“Messiah and Anti-Christ?” Michael asked, it seemed to be what Lucifer was alluding to, but one could never exactly tell with him. 

“Yes. But consider this, we allow Gabriel to continue with his believe that he might become mortal. I daresay we encourage it. Can you pay him a mildly threatening visit?” 

Michael’s smile mirrored Lucifer’s demonic smirk “I can indeed. Any better news from either of the other field agent fronts?”

“Yes, Raphael is adamant about not falling. I am, shall we say, surprised that he did not readily accept Earth. Jophiel is ambivalent but trying to stand with him, and I have yet to determine what will happen to my agents. They are not fallen, if you recall, so I am unsure if they will transition in the same manner. I undertook extensive research before sending my son 18 years ago, I am relatively confident none of Angelic Stock will become mortal, though I am not sure if those formed here can become immortal. My son would be the one to ask about that. Perhaps I, too, will be paying a visit to England.” 

Some time later, unbeknownst to the patrons, an Archangel and the Devil himself walked into a small pub tucked away in the English countryside and began to plot.


	7. Chapter 7

“You know I can tell you are back there right? Your aura’s practically suffocating me.” Gabriel said without turning around. “Here to tell me that consorting with whatever they are now is worse?” 

“No” Michael walked through the sofa “I am here to tell you the Lucifer said-” 

 

“Oh so you bring messages from the Host and the Adversary now?”

Michael scoffed “No. And Lucifer said that this incident with Crowley and Aziraphale will work itself out simply enough. They will likely make the transition to being mortal soon.”

“Transition to being mortal” Gabriel paused and looked at his counterpart, “I didn’t think that was possible. I thought they had just lost all association. Honestly I didn’t know what happened. That’s why I came here, to see.”

“Yes. And what have you discovered so far, on your fact finding mission, Gabriel? It has been a week.” 

“Probably not much more than you found out on yours. No one seems to have it figured out yet. Their wings have changed, and Crowley’s aura is less painful now. More like it used to be, you know, back then.” He looked over to the bedroom where he knew Crowley and Aziraphale were, both were likely aware of Michael’s visit by this point. “As far as they can tell the miracles and manipulations are still intact.”

“Aziraphale rarely used miracles for anything worthwhile. Could he still reverse a death I wonder, or does that require a connection with the Host? I suppose an angel, or fallen angel mid transition to mortality would be unable to connect with the Host in any case” Michael’s normally bright blue eyes darkened slightly. 

“You’ve said that twice now” Gabriel looked down to his lap “you seem pretty sure they are going to end up as mortals?”

“I would not say that I am certain by an means, however, it is the best understanding Lucifer and I have come to, regarding their situation. At the very most they might end up as his- as the Antichrist did.” 

“How much time are you spending with Satan these days? I can’t recall you ever speaking of him so informally.” Gabriel chuckled, mostly to himself. Michael did not like to be reminded that Lucifer was indeed the Devil, Satan, the Adversary, or any of the other names that he was known by. 

“Less time than you are spending with your harem of fallen angels, Gabriel.” the other Archangel snapped back. 

“So you can have one, but I take two and suddenly it’s inappropriate? That’s just great Michael. Raphael is right, you really are the worst kind of hypocrite.” 

“At least mine will remain a fallen angel. Yours are soon to be mortals, and I believe you have always been quite clear about your stance on bedding mortals.” Michael stood abruptly. “Or will that change once your Gadre’el is mortal?” 

Gabriel flinched at the reminder of Crowley’s original name. “His name is Crowley” Gabriel replied into a blinding blue flash, “And maybe it will” he finished softly to an empty room.


	8. Chapter 8

If Crowley and Aziraphale were going to become Mortal eventually, Gabriel mused, what would be the harm in him joining them, even if it caused him to become  
Mortal? Raphael was vehemently opposed to the idea, and Michael was actively against it. Which was strange in itself because Michael and Raphael were never on the same side of an issue. 

Raphael's twisted sense of duty made no sense when he thought about it. The other Archangel had turned in resignation papers, which were not accepted, half a dozen times in as many centuries. But now, given the choice to do that exact thing, he rebuked the idea entirely. 

He wasn't sure what Jophiel would do. She had almost as much love for Earth as Crowley and Aziraphale, perhaps more, given that she had a habit of bedding humans. But she also loved Raphael it seemed, more than anything else. She had settled down for him, and convinced him to settle down for her. 

Aziraphale and Crowley, especially Crowley, were great companions. He relished his time living with them, and enjoyed his regular visits. They were the only thing he viewed as important anymore. Not Heaven, not the Host, certainly not Michael or Raphael. 

He realized bleakly that he would do anything to ensure that he could remain with them.

The revelation hit him hard. He made this choice before and he made it wrong. He was not making that mistake again. 

“To Hell with me then, I guess”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GRAPHIC Torture warning for this chapter.

“I believe this means Michael has won our wager” Lucifer said looking at the writhing former Archangel on the floor of his office. “I was not expecting you to be the first, Gabriel. Now how to deal with you.” 

Gabriel tried and failed to stand. “Lucifer just make it stop” he croaked out. 

“I think not. In fact that pain is just the beginning, you haven’t even technically fallen yet. Just consider this a visit where you aren’t free to leave.” Lucifer sneered. 

Gabriel's mind was suddenly filled with voices. They were so numerous that it was deafening. After several minutes he finally was able to make out words. They were praying to him. Or to who he used to be. He was only catching small pieces but Gabriel and Archangel were frequent among the words. 

“They don't know yet, Gabriel” Lucifer said softly “They don't know that their prayers aren't going to anyone. How will they feel when they find out? That you have abandoned your patronage.” 

Gabriel was not expecting torture. Aziraphale had not mentioned torture. But the voices were just getting louder. His head felt like it was going to split in two from the pounding volume. “Why?”

“Why not? Fine. I suppose you can fall now. Welcome to the legions of Hell.” 

The voices stopped. 

“Lucifer get me the fuck out of here.” Gabriel said through gritted teeth, pulling himself up to his hands and knees. 

“Not so fast. What if I don't want to send you away yet? I must collect on my winnings. I wonder how long it will take for Michael to realize you've fallen.” 

Quite some time, as it turned out. 

Lucifer called the hallway and a demon entered. With a snap of his fingers, Gabriel was pinned against the wall the room, wings unfurled. 

“I've never had the privilege of torturing someone before.” The demon grinned, “now where to begin… hmm.” He conjured a small bowl “Holy Water for a fallen angel seems appropriate. Oh don't worry it's only a drop, and not even pure- been here too long to be very effective. Hard to get it, so we need to make it last. Not enough to vaporize you by any means. Just pain, perhaps some tissue removal.” He ladled a small amount over Gabriel's shoulder. 

The water took a moment to seep through his shirt, but the pain once it did was blinding. Every muscle in his body tensed and he cried out reflexively. The demon repeated his actions on the other shoulder. The pain was so intense that Gabriel couldn’t keep his head up, or his eyes open. 

“You know, Gabriel, this can stop quite simply.” Lucifer drawled “Reject Crawly, reject Aziraphale, reject Earth. And there will be no more pain.” 

The demon's eyes grew wide “Gabriel. The Archangel?”

“Fallen Archangel, but yes.” Lucifer confirmed. 

“I've been too gentle in that case. Messenger of God and all, why don't you let them hear you on Heaven and Earth.” the demon produced a blade and turned it over in his hands, inspecting it, before driving it into Gabriel’s shoulder. The pain was harsh but manageable. 

Gabriel put on the strongest front he could but when the blade dug into his thigh, just below his hip, he could not contain a sob. 

“You're choosing this Gabriel.” Lucifer said, still watching the scene unfold “reject them at any time and it's all over.” 

“I...won't” Gabriel choked out as the blade was removed and then dragged down the center of his chest, drawing a long line of blood that bloomed across his shirt. 

The demon wiped the blood from the knife and vanished it. 

“Take some time to consider my offer, Gabriel.” Lucifer said as Gabriel collapsed to the floor. “We will be back later if you have not changed your mind.” 

Gabriel did not change his mind and as promised they returned. He was once again pinned to the wall, this time facing it. 

“Such nice wings. Well kept for an Angel.” The demon said digging a rough hand into Gabriel's wing close to his back. His wings had changed when he fell but retained the same voluminous shape as when he was in Heaven. 

Gabriel's vision went black as the demon pulled a fistful of feathers from his right wing. Angel's (or fallen Angel's) wings were the most sensitive part of their being. The demon plucked feather after feather from Gabriel's back. 

By his best estimation it had been three days of pain. Gabriel was drained in every way imaginable. 

“You are disgusting” Michael spat.

“Finally you're here. I think that means I can leave now.” Gabriel was covered in blood, and both his shirt and trousers were tattered. 

“Fine. Away with you” Lucifer said, and snapped his fingers. 

“That did not go as planned, dear.” Michael observed dryly. 

“Obviously not. We have a much bigger problem now.”


	10. Chapter 10

Raphael found his bed extremely comfortable. It was soft, and supportive and reminded him of the weightless feeling he got if he shed his corporation. He liked the way it was spacious and allowed him to lay cuddled up with Jophiel in any manner they chose. What he did not find comfortable in any way was the bright blue light that was filling his bedroom. 

“Go. Away.” He said firmly. Not lifting his head or moving the mound of blankets that kept the chill of the Colorado winter off of them. 

“Raphael. This is important. Gabriel has fallen.” 

That caught his attention. 

“What?” He sat bolt upright, and flung the blankets off. 

“Please make yourself decent, Raphael.” 

In his alarm, Raphael had inadvertently exposed both himself and Jophiel to Michael. 

“Oh whatever you prude, just tell us what happened to Gabriel” Jophiel said as she pulled a blanket back around her and Raphael. 

“He fell. Tortured for some amount of time in Hell it appeared, and then Lucifer sent him away. It must have been a horrible experience. Certainly not anything I would ever want to go through. I saw him just before he got sent away, he was entirely broken.”

Jophiel sobbed and turned into Raphael as he wrapped his arms around her tightly. 

“We're going back with you Michael. I can’t risk this shit happening to me.” Raphael said. 

“What do you mean ‘we’ Raphael? I never said I'm going anywhere.” Jophiel looked hurt. “Gabriel didn't say anything about Az getting tortured so maybe it was a personal thing?” 

Raphael's eyes were cold when he turned to look at her, “not risking it.” 

The finality in his voice made Michael smile internally. This would be a sizable win for him, perhaps enough to offset Gabriel's hasty decision. 

“I will leave you to settle your business on Earth then, and I'll tell them to prepare your office.” Michael said before vanishing. 

“Dude, seriously? You're going back to being one of them?” Jophiel looked hurt “I mean you're the one that called them Arch-douches, and now you just-” 

“Did you not hear a single thing Michael said? Gabriel fell and got tortured for days. And Lucifer actually got along better with him than with me. I'd probably get it worse. I can't, I need to go back.” 

Jophiel looked out the window, “well I guess that's it then. Because I'm definitely not going back. Earth, even with the risk of torture or becoming mortal is way better than Heaven. It's so boring and proper up there.” 

Raphael couldn't believe what he heard. It had been over 20 years since he and Jophiel had begun living together and he expected they would remain together indefinitely. And now she was choosing staying on Earth over him? 

“Hey, maybe we could call Gabriel, or Aziraphale and find out what actually happened to them. Michael has been known to exaggerate things.” Jophiel doubted that was the case but Gabriel could still shed some light on the whole situation. 

“Yeah we can do that, but if he got tortured or anything happened to him other than falling and coming right back, my decision stands. And I want to know how he fell. Did he make the decision or was it made for him. I know both can happen. Crowley being an example of the latter.” 

When Raphael eventually called Gabriel, many hours later, Crowley was the one to answer. His voice was shaky over the speakerphone. 

“Gabe's not in a good way. He's healing but it has been slow going.” Crowley explained. 

Raphael gasped “so Michael was telling the truth?” 

“What do you mean? Wait was Michael there? Why wouldn't he have helped Gabe? That bastard!” 

Jophiel shot a look at Raphael as if to say good question. 

“I don't know Crowley. His visit was brief. Has Gabriel been able to talk or tell you anything?” 

“You should probably just come over here.” Aziraphale said, joining in the conversation, Crowley must've had the phone on speaker as well. 

“If you say so” Raphael sighed and with a flourish, he and Jophiel appeared in the entryway of Crowley's flat. 

“Where is he? Does he need medical treatment?” He barreled into the flat looking for Gabriel. 

“Bedroom.” Crowley said pointing in the direction. “And yes he needs a lot of medical attention.”

Raphael choked back a sob when he saw his… oldest friend, colleague, partner, brother. Gabriel’s right wing was completely devoid of feathers, and hung off the bed at a completely unnatural angle. His face, chest, arms, actually all of him was crisscrossed with dried blood. 

“Hey” Gabriel said, wincing as he turned to look in the direction of the door. “I'm surprised you came.” 

Raphael felt insulted “Of course I came. As soon as Crowley told me you were hurt. What did they do to you down there?” 

“Everything. Lucifer, he could make me hear things. People praying. Told me I was forsaking them. They they tried to get me to reject Crowley and Aziraphale. To reject Earth. I didn't. So this did.” 

Raphael summoned a medical kit and began attending to Gabriel's wounds. The cuts and slashes were of different depths and some needed to be stitched. 

“Why did you do it Gabriel? I mean you've never thought about leaving. Not really. I have more times than I can remember and you've told me I'm an idiot every time.” 

Gabriel was silent for a long moment and looked blankly out the door into the hallway. “You're wrong. I considered it in the beginning. I made the wrong choice and it took me over 6000 years to get back even part of what I lost. I was not willing to lose it again.”

“Shit Gabriel. I knew you loved him. But you just gave up everything for him.” Raphael looked disgusted. “ It's unnatural.” 

“Them” Gabriel coughed as Raphael stitched a wound, “and all of it. Not just Crowley. And I didn’t give up everything, I was able to keep everything that is truly important.” 

“Except the very core of who you are! Are they supposed to re-write the fucking Bible now, Gabriel?” Raphael put down his sutures and turned away. “I’m going back, up there, permanently”

“You are?” Aziraphale gasped from the doorway. 

“I may not like my responsibilities or my assignments on Earth, but I, unlike some” he paused and glared at Gabriel “do actually value my role as an Archangel.” 

“It’s not that I didn’t value my role, I valued other things more. I loved other things more” Gabriel shot back

“That’s sweet and sickening at the same time, Gabe” Crowley said, walking into the room. “We love you too.” 

Raphael looked between the three other beings in in the room. He had something he loved too, but it wasn’t earthly, or hellish. They could go back to heaven together. That was always the problem for Aziraphale and lately Gabriel, wasn’t it? Crowley could never go back. 

The fact that Jophiel was refusing to go back was more of an issue for him. And he wasn’t very good at facing issues. 

“Gabriel, assuming you can still heal normally, which at this stage is a pretty big assumption, you’ll be healed in a few days.” 

Raphael left the room, and unknown to those inside Crowley’s flat, left Earth.


	11. Chapter 11

Lucifer felt uncomfortable walking around the university, this was his second visit to Earth in a week. He wasn’t sure exactly where his son was, but used the most subtle trace he could manage in his attempt to find him. 

It had been four years since he last spoke to his son, and that was a brief conversation when the boy had reached out to prove to some friends that he was indeed the Antichrist. Lucifer thought that was a rather irresponsible use of his status. 

He tracked Adam to a small cafe filled with students from the University. As he looked inside, he saw Adam and another boy, or young man he supposed, sitting in a corner. He strode over to them, but before he could announce his presence, Adam noticed him. 

“And what are you doing here?” he said without looking up from his laptop. Adam had changed from the floppy haired young boy who stopped the apocalypse to a flannel clad young man with very particularly coiffed hair, held in place by a copious amount of product. “Charles, this is my father by the way.” 

“I’ve met your father Adam, this bloke doesn’t look old enough to be your dad anyways.” the other man replied.

“No, you pillock, not him. My actual father. The one you didn’t believe existed.” Adam glanced at Lucifer guiltily as he recalled the scolding he received a few years earlier for bragging about being the Antichrist. “And he’s immortal, so yeah, he’s old enough, I’d say.”

“Bloody fucking Satan is in the cafe?” Charles said, a bit too loudly, causing several other patrons to look in their direction. 

“Yes, now if you would cease your gawking, I have a reason for bringing myself here. Adam, what would happen if an Angel, or a Fallen Angel made some decisions which ended up with them still in possession of powers, but locked out of both Heaven and Hell? Would they become Mortal?” 

Adam looked at Lucifer, confused, “You’re asking me? You’re the one who actually is a fallen angel. I’m just, well, whatever you made me as. Human but not really?” 

“Theoretically, you are immortal, but I am not sure that your earthly body will allow for that.” 

“Whoa, I’m just gonna leave you two to talk, I don’t even want to attempt to unpack what I just heard” Charles said, and stood up from the table.

“Why are you here? That's an incredibly specific question to just pop up to earth to ask me. And what makes you think I have an answer?” Adam said, a bit of frustration creeping into his voice. 

Lucifer sighed. Other than Michael, no one had the gall to speak back to him. “There has been an incident.”

“Yeah. Aziraphale and Crowley. I know. Unlike you, they actually keep in touch with me. I have no clue what is going to happen to them in the long haul. Right now there's not been much change with them.” 

Lucifer winced. He hadn't considered keeping in regular contact with the boy. He had… minions for that. “I wasn't aware you wanted to keep in contact.” 

Adam's eyes glowed a dull red and his coffee cup trembled slightly before he gathered control of himself. “Why wouldn't I? Because of the incident seven years back? I don't particularly care about that. Stopped the whole thing alright, didn't I?”

“What is the most likely outcome of the scenario I described Adam? Tell me.” Lucifer snapped, his corporation flickering briefly revealing his red and horned image.

“You don't scare me, Father.” Adam replied calmly. 

“I am not here to frighten you. I am here seeking information. Michael and I-” he cut himself short. 

“Oh, who's Michael then?” Adam inquired, leaning in and propping his elbows on the table. “Surely not the Archangel.” His adopted father, Mr. Young had enough difficulty accepting Aziraphale and Crowley as Angel and Demon, and that his true father was Satan. What would he think of the fact that his father was dealing with an Archangel. 

Lucifer looked away. He had not intended to divulge his dealings with Michael to Adam. “The very same. We have both lost some from our ranks, and are trying to determine the cause and the outcome.” 

“I... I don't know what happened to Aziraphale and Crowley!” Adam exclaimed “I know Aziraphale fell and then both of them ended up back on Earth. That's about it.” 

“We are drawing attention. Let us walk.” Lucifer said standing from the table. He still felt uncomfortable but blended in with the students moderately well. He clothed his corporation in dark slim cut jeans and a white dress shirt in preparation for this journey and his young appearance did not bring undue attention. 

Adam followed him slowly. They walked the streets that cut through the town until they came to the edge of the campus proper. 

A poster stuck to a tree caught Lucifer's attention. “There is a Satanic group at your University?” 

“Guess so. Never noticed” Adam glanced at the poster, “not really my scene.” 

“How is a Satanic group not your scene? You're the antichrist. That should be exactly your scene.” 

“No offense but Satanists are weird. The way you're dressed, they would probably kick you out if you even tried to go to their meeting. Not enough black. Or skulls.” 

Lucifer sighed. For some reason, many of those who openly committed themselves to him found it necessary to dress and act in ways that caused them to be ostracized. Not the most effective way to recruit souls.

Not that anyone was actively recruiting souls to either side these days. It was all subtle and in grey areas now. Oh plenty of people still claimed to be followers of Heaven, but their actions could still land them in his realm. Which led him back to the reason he came to Earth in the first place. “Do you think they will become Mortal?” 

“I think I already told you that I have no clue what will happen. Are you immortal because of the way you are made, or because you are tied to Hell? If it's the first reason then I guess they will stay however they were, if it's the second, they could be transitioning to being Mortal. But it's been a bit and they haven't noticed any ill effects.” 

Lucifer considered this. He did not expect that any of those bound to earth would actually become mortal, at least not if they were of Angelic stock. Any mortal who wound up in Hell and rose through the ranks to be able to return as a demon might end up mortal if given the choice to leave. Heaven did not give their souls the ability to make rank, so that would not be a concern on their side. They did however have far more Angels than Hell had fallen Angels. Less than half his ranks were comprised of his fallen brothers. That was an advantage for him. 

“Would you be able to find out for certain? Since as you said, you are in more regular contact with them.” 

“They aren’t mortal yet, and it’s been a bit over a week, so I would suppose they aren’t going to change over. If I had to guess I would say no. Crowley said that Gabriel is regenerating, whatever that means.”

Lucifer knew what it meant, and knew why Gabriel was in that state, but if he told Adam any relationship he was beginning to develop with the young man would likely be torn apart. So he remained silent on the topic. 

“Is that all you came to interrogate me about, Father?” Adam asked, not looking at Lucifer.

“I suppose so, yes. I’ll be going now.” He replied, turning to walk away. 

“Father” Adam called softly “Perhaps we can speak other than when we require something from one another?” 

Lucifer nodded, before vanishing.


	12. Chapter 12

In Colorado, and even in London, Raphael never felt out of place in clean jeans and a T-shirt. It had been centuries since he was in Heaven for more than a short meeting with Michael or Gabriel, he knew his office had been repurposed, and he felt wildly out of place. Even several of the other angels were looking at him strangely. Maybe it was his clothes, or his wild dark brown hair - bordering on the edge of being black, or the fact that his left arm was covered in tattoos or the fact that he had a goatee. 

He ignored them all and walked to Michael’s office. His blonde haired colleague looked up with shock “I truthfully thought you were bluffing when you said you were coming back. And I did not expect you without Jophiel.”

At the mention of Jophiel’s name, something broke inside Raphael, and Michael could see it on his face. “I didn’t tell her I was coming back. After seeing what happened to Gabriel, I got…” Raphael paused “scared I guess. And just came back.”

“What happened to Gabriel was too much. I told Lucifer that. And it did not accomplish anything.” Michael said bitterly. “I don’t know why he needs to go past that line every time.”

“Maybe because he is The Adversary, Michael?” Raphael snapped “I know you love him or whatever, but he is never coming back, and he is just getting darker. It’s not good that you consort with him in such a way.” 

“There’s old Raphael.” Michael grinned “Using phrases like ‘consort with him in such a way’ rather than the way you’ve been speaking on Earth.” 

“Fuck. Off.” Raphael grinned right back. There was something comfortable about being back in Heaven. 

“And new Raphael is back.” Michael ran a hand through his hair and stood from behind his desk. “I suppose you want to see your office? It’s in the same place.” 

Raphael’s office, like the rest of Heaven was gleaming white. He never thought of it when he was on Earth, but Crowley’s flat had a similar style. 

He walked behind the desk, sat in his chair, and closed his eyes. He was home. 


End file.
